Sky Colored Dream
by Andrew Glasco
Summary: Koh has a run in with his feelings and now must make a choice...


Sky Colored Dream  
  
  
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Disclaimer:  
All rights and privileges to Azure Dreams and its characters  
belong to Konami Co., Ltd. The characters of this series are used  
without permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work  
of fiction is not meant for sale or profit.  
  
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Author's notes:  
I just thought that at least some point in the game you should have had to choose one girl   
in Azure dreams, but it never happened. So, I decided to make that happen in this fic.   
One should have some moral values afterall, right? Well, that's how it started, but I   
ended up throwing some other stuff in there too. But that's the main objective of this   
story. This is my first attempt at a mushy fic, so I appreciate feedback. However, if   
you don't like my point of view, don't flame me ok? I only want constructive criticism.   
BTW, for violence, this should be PG-13. Ok then! Enjoy!  
  
  
Text Conventions  
( ) is character thoughts  
" " is character dialogue  
  
  
  
"Koh, get up! It's a beautiful morning!"  
  
Koh groggily opened his eyes and looked up at the familiar voice. As his vision cleared   
his mind registered the blurry face leaning over him.  
  
"Hi Cherrl," Koh smiled.  
  
Cherrl Child was wearing her nursing uniform, bending over Koh, smiling down at him with   
her hands behind her back. She giggled and leaned back up.  
  
Koh sat up and grinned widely and hopped out of the bed. "Thanks for waking me."  
  
Cherrl smiled. "I don't mind at all! Well, I'll wait outside."  
  
Koh nodded as Cherrl walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.  
  
Koh sat back down on his bed and let his mind wander. (It's been over 2 years since I   
defeated Beldo. 2 years since I first was able to enter the monster tower. 2 years   
since I met Cherrl...)  
  
Koh pondered the events of the past. Koh remembered how frail Cherrl looked back then.   
Yet, she seemed to always have a slight glitter of hope in her, no matter the case.   
She needed encouragement at times, but having a disease for all of one's life would be   
hard to cope with. Koh let his mind drift back into the past...  
  
"I like being associated with the word "cute" more than beautiful, because cute has more   
warmth to it."  
  
(Back then, I thought you were just "cute".)  
  
"Koh, I have a request. I want you to be my friend."  
  
(I wanted to be your friend too.)  
  
"The color of the sky has always been the color I adored the most. It represents the   
world outside this window."  
  
(I tried to empathize with you, but I found I couldn't. I found it too horribly unthinkable   
to be stuck in your house and being too weak to barely move. I could barely fathom   
it...but I admired your will to escape your illness.)  
  
"My favorite time of day is when I see you. I also feel better when you're here."  
  
(Seeing you was becoming the best part of my day. I was too immature to appreciate   
it though...)  
  
"Koh! The doctor says my illness can be cured!"  
  
(I wanted you to feel better, but I didn't want the effort to be for me.   
I was beginning to feel something different...)  
  
"I want to become a nurse and help people. What do you think, Koh?  
  
(Of course, I thought it was a good idea to help others that were in a similar   
situation that you were. It also seemed to suit you.)  
  
"I thought that it was because of the Healing Herb that I was able to recover   
so quickly, and that you…Koh were the one who brought it here. Why didn't you tell me?)  
  
(You never truly done anything for yourself. You didn't have the chance. I wanted this   
recovery to be for you, without worrying about anyone or anything. Not the result of   
someone else, but your own will. That feeling was becoming clearer as the time passed.)  
  
"Thank you, not just for getting the Healing Herb, but for everything since we first met."  
  
(I had a lot to thank you for, but couldn't find the words. I dismissed them as   
unimportant, but they lingered in my mind...)  
  
"My sky colored dream...is to be married to a certain man. But if I do, he's likely   
to make me worry, which might make me sick again, but I would be the happiest woman   
around."  
  
(Sky colored...Azure. Your...Azure dream? Did you mean that? After she said that,   
she blushed and was quiet the rest of the time I was there. Your gentle innocence,   
your strong will, and your undying concern for others...that's why I love you, Cherrl.   
Love. Why is it so hard to say three simple words...?)  
  
Koh was interrupted by a knock on his door. He turned his head to the door as he wondered   
how long he had been siting there. "Come in."  
  
The door opened and Koh's mother Wreath stood in the doorway with a stern look on her   
face. "You really shouldn't keep them waiting, Koh."  
  
Koh knew his mom didn't approve of his multiple girlfriends, and lately, he hadn't   
found it appealing either. He was beginning to realize how cruel it was to   
string them all along. He had to do something about that too, but he didn't feel   
up to confrontation before noon, so he decided to tactfully put it off in his mind.  
  
Koh nodded. "Ok mom. Coming."  
  
Wreath gave him a 'hurry up' look and shut the door. Koh hurriedly got to his feet   
and grabbed the first pair of clothes he could find: His usual clothes. He slipped   
into them while quickly combing his pure red hair. He grabbed a monster bag from   
off of his dresser, containing his sleeping Metal. Koh snatched his shoes and   
slipped them onto his feet, not bothering to re-tie them, he then opened the door   
and walked out.  
  
Koh walked down the long hallway and into the main room. He was greeted by several "Hi Koh!"s   
courtesy of Mia, Nico, Selfi, and Fur. He noticed Cherrl quietly sitting in a chair at the   
table furthest from the doorway in which he stood. Koh nodded to the 4 girl's greetings   
quietly and began to walk towards the door. He didn't want them to tell him hello, he wanted   
Cherrl to. Koh opened the door to leave as he heard Nico.  
  
"Wait, Koh!"  
  
Koh didn't stop. As the door closed, he hesitantly muttered, "See ya later."  
  
Nico stopped short as the door just missed slamming into her face. "Huh...? He's been acting   
really weird lately. I wonder what wrong?"  
  
Cherrl frowned. She wished Koh would make a choice. She felt so used. But she couldn't   
help her feelings towards him. Cherrl looked towards the door where Koh stood only moments   
ago. As she gazed at the door, she felt a chill. An oddly unnatural chill. Cherrl looked   
at the floor and said a silent prayer for Koh's safety before she walked out the door herself.  
  
*********  
Koh darted to the right as a Viper swung it's claws down at him violently. The claws   
grazed Koh's hair, but did not stun him; Koh gripped his gold sword tightly as he twisted   
his waist to the left as he arched a vertical slash aimed at the Viper's head. The Viper's   
lifeless body fell to the ground. Koh tiredly pulled out his monster bag and summoned his   
Metal into it. He decided that he wouldn't go further today. He was tired. He had way too   
much on his mind to be able to concentrate. He reached down into his sack to pull out a   
wind crystal. Just as he grabbed the wind crystal, he felt a sharp pain pierce through his   
upper back...  
  
*********  
Cherrl dropped the glass of water she was holding; it crashed to the ground and shattered   
into countless pieces as water splattered onto the wooden floor below.  
Dr. Hush looked up from the his papers from the noise, only to see Cherrl on the floor on   
both knees, trembling.   
  
"Cherrl!" He rushed over to her side, "What's wrong?"  
  
Cherrl's eyes were shut tight with obvious pain, her mouth twisted into a pain-filled grimace.   
  
"I...don't know...my chest...I-it hurts..."  
  
Dr. Hush picked Cherrl up and placed her on a bed.   
  
"Now Cherrl, does it hurt as bad as it did when it first started?"  
  
Cherrl shook her head and opened her eyes slightly as she turned her head to look at the doctor.   
  
"No...it's fading fast...it's already almost gone."  
  
Dr. Hush looked at her questioningly. "Could it have been heartburn?  
  
"No..." Cherrl once again shook her head, "It felt like a piecing feeling...but only for a   
moment."  
  
Dr. Hush blinked in confusion. "I don't know Cherrl. Just let me now if you have any more   
trouble with it, okay? If so, we'll look into it."  
  
"Alright..." Cherrl did not move. She breathed steadily, but shakily as she wondered   
what happened.  
  
*********  
As quick as the blink of an eye, Koh felt the pain travel through his upper back, arch inside   
his body, and emerge directly below his left shoulder. He felt a roaring pain inside of him,   
one that could not be simply contained. Koh yelled out in utter pain just as he felt the object   
that stabbed through him being removed. Koh knew that he had little chance to live, but he also   
knew, that to have any chance, he would have to kill whatever stabbed him. Koh spun around   
quickly, letting more of his crimson blood flow to the ground as it poured out of his wound.   
Koh was shocked. It was a Viper. Judging by its huge size, it looked like a parent. I must have   
seen him kill it's child and decided to seek revenge. Koh knew he had no time to hesitate. He   
let loose a battle cry as he leapt from the ground and brought his blade down upon the head of   
the unsuspecting Viper. He cut with such force that the Viper's body was cut clean in half. Koh   
breathed heavily and held his wound in vain as he limped over to the bloody wind crystal in the   
floor. He weakly gripped the crystal between his hands and held it to the sky. It shone with   
it's magic and he felt himself being teleported by unknown means back into the town...  
  
*********  
Koh emerged from the portal off to the side of the fountain. He looked around weakly and saw   
Nico off in the distance walking to her house. He reached out with one hand.   
  
"H-help..." He found his voice grainy, dry, and quiet; barely above a whisper.   
  
He swallowed and tried again. "He..lp...Nico...!"   
  
His vision had begun to blur as he saw Nico look in his direction. He heard her gasp as he   
fell to the ground in a bloody mess.  
  
Nico ran over and kneeled next to him and took his head into her arms as she felt tears   
burning in her eyes.   
  
"Koh! Koh...! Get up! Koh!!"   
  
By now, several people had exited their homes upon hearing the racket and were now   
also in disbelief. Nico shook him lightly, unknowingly getting covered in his blood as   
she did. She shook him harder still, but a moment later, she felt him fall limp in her   
arms. Her eyes went wide and she hugged onto him, not letting in the possibility of him   
being dead.   
  
"I won't let you die!"   
  
She tossed Koh over her back and began to run towards the clinic. She dashed past the fountain,   
the General store, the Fortune house, and finally into the hospital.  
  
*********  
Cherrl looked up as the door swung open, the first thing she noticed was a bloody Nico. She   
gasped as she saw her. However, the next thing she noticed was the truly wounded Koh sprawled   
over her back.   
  
"Koh...!!" Cherrl barely managed.   
  
Nico was already headed towards a bed as Cherrl ran over to meet her. Dr. Hush also rushed   
over to the bed as Nico lowered him onto the bed gently.  
  
"Koh, oh my god!" Cherrl shook her head with in denial as she too felt tears creeping out of   
her eyes.   
  
She made no move to stop them. She was shocked.   
  
"Doctor!!" Cherrl looked at him questioningly as he checked for a pulse.  
  
The doctor looked at Cherrl hopefully. "He's still breathing! We can still save him! Cherrl,   
get some bandages! Nico, get some medicinal herbs!"   
  
He rushed off to get peroxide, and the two girls did as they were told. By now, a crowd was   
gathering inside the hospital, each gossiping amongst themselves. The doctor applied the   
peroxide with the healing herbs, wrapping the massive wound in a bandage afterwards. Cherrl and   
Nico simply stood back in fear, fear of the worst, holding back their tears.  
  
The doctor turned to face them. "Well...I can't give an ok...I don't know...the wound is all   
the way through and he's lost a lot of blood-"  
  
"Then what about a blood transfusion!?" Cherrl interjected urgently.  
  
The doctor nodded. "Yeah, that's what he needs, but even then there's no guarantee..."  
  
"What bloodtype is he?" Cherrl interrupted the doctor again.  
  
The doctor had begun to look slightly annoyed, but quickly wiped it off his face. "He's type   
AB. I'm O, so I can't do it. How about you, Nico?"  
  
"No...I'm type A." Nico's sullen reply lacked any of its usual enthusiasm.  
  
Cherrl stepped forward. "I can do it doctor! I'm type AB! Please let me help him!"  
  
The doctor frowned a bit at Cherrl. "But Cherrl, you still could fall ill again. I'd prefer   
if you wouldn't be any part of something like this..."  
  
Cherrl pushed through the doctor and collapsed next to Koh's bed, clutching onto his arm,   
sobbing uncontrollably; her hot tears ran down her cheeks freely and she buried her head   
into the covers. Dr. Hush took a step towards her but stopped in the middle and stood where he was.  
Nico had a look of shock on her face, but was maintaining herself better than Cherrl.  
  
Cherrl raised her head from the covers and looked at Koh's face with teary eyes. He looked   
pained, as though there was something he had left unfinished. As though he could not die yet.   
Cherrl caressed Koh's cheek lightly for a moment before standing up and turning to face the   
doctor.   
  
"Doctor, I'm 18 years old and have the right to make decisions for myself. I have to...I want   
to do this for Koh. He made my life worth living in more ways than one, and now, I want to   
save his."  
  
Dr. Hush nodded reluctantly and turned to Nico. "Could you clear out the crowd? It is a very   
tense atmosphere for all of us already. You can stay, but they need to go."  
  
Nico nodded, almost zombie-like and slowly but surely, everyone left.  
  
*********  
Dr. Hush then began the blood transfusion. Cherrl was injected with a needle to make her fall   
asleep before the operation. Nico watched as it commenced.   
  
(Koh, you just have to be okay...you're too stubborn to die like this, right...?) Nico sat down   
in a chair and stared at the floor, trying to comfort herself with these thoughts throughout   
the rest of the operation.   
  
Nico looked up as she heard some different noises than she had been hearing frequently, and was   
rewarded by seeing Dr. Hush walking to the operating tables they were on. Nico rose to her feet   
and walked over to Dr. Hush who was standing over Koh's operation table.   
  
Nico glanced over at the doctor's face nervously. "Is he going to be alright, doctor...?"  
  
Dr. Hush turned his head towards her. "I think so. If he continues doing this well, then I'm   
sure he will."  
  
Nico's expression immediately changed to a broad smile, showing relief from end to end. "Thank   
you doctor! You're the best!"  
  
"Lucky you found him when you did. If he'd lost much more blood, then he wouldn't have stood   
a chance." Doctor Hush replied.  
  
"I was really surprised..." Nico trailed off.  
  
The doctor nodded, understanding. "Yes, I see. Well, Nico, you should go home. It's late.  
  
"Yes, and thank you again doctor." Nico bowed and left the hospital for home.  
  
*********  
Nearly an hour later, Cherrl awoke in a bed. She opened her eyes reluctantly. She felt tired.   
She sat up and looked around. She noticed Dr. Hush at his desk filling out some papers.   
  
Several seconds later, he looked up and saw Cherrl sitting up with a frown. "Cherrl!   
You should be resting!"  
  
"Is Koh going to be okay...?" Cherrl asked, concern evident in her voice.  
  
"Yes," Doctor Hush nodded, "it looks like he'll be fine. He's really strong. Most any other   
person would have died directly from such a wound..."  
  
Cherrl smiled brightly with relief as she slowly rose to her feet and turned to look at Koh   
who lay on a the bed across from her own. "I'm glad..." Cherrl walked over to Koh's bedside   
despite the protests of the doctor.  
  
Doctor Hush folded his arms to disguise his annoyance of her ignoring him. He then walked back   
to his desk and went back to his paper work.  
  
Cherrl kneeled next to the bedside and watched tentatively as Koh breathed steadily. She   
promised herself she would stay by him as long as it took for him to regain consciousness...  
  
*********  
  
Several hours later, Cherrl was dozing in a chair next to Koh's bed when she heard the hospital   
door open. She looked up and saw Patty in the doorway. Cherrl slowly got up and walked over to   
meet her.  
  
"Hi Cherrl. How's Koh?" Patty asked quietly.  
  
Cherrl glanced over her shoulder at Koh before answering. "He's going to be okay..."  
  
Patty nodded silently, then noticed how empty the hospital was. "Where's the doctor?"  
  
"Oh, the doctor went home for the night. I told him I would take care of Koh." Cherrl answered.  
  
"Oh...well, I brought him a dish of food for when he wakes up, so will you give it to him   
for me? I'd stay and do it, but my father would be upset if I stayed." Patty said as she   
handed a plate wrapped in foil to Cherrl.  
  
Cherrl smiled half-heartedly. "Sure, I don't mind. I'll be sure to give it to him."  
  
"Thanks. Well, I need to go now." Patty said as she began to walk towards the door.  
  
Cherrl followed her to the doorway. "Alright. I'm sure he'd be happy for you to stop in   
after he wakes up."  
  
Patty nodded. "I'll do that. Bye."  
  
"Bye Patty."  
  
Cherrl walked back to her chair next to Koh's bed and sat down, placing Patty's dish on a bed   
next to her with a sigh.  
  
*********  
  
The world was dark. His body ached. He heard nothing. He felt something soft beneath him; he   
felt something light and soft placed over him. He felt something tied tightly around his   
shoulder across his chest and upper back. His mind registered all this quickly, these only   
succeeded in confusing him further. He opened his eyes. The lights were very dim, he barely   
had to squint to take in his surroundings. He was in a large room in a bed, covered in sheets.   
He looked to his left and noticed the medical marking over the front door.  
  
(It must be the hospital...that's right...the Viper...)  
  
"Koh!"  
  
Koh painfully turned his head to the right, in the direction of the voice.  
  
"Cherrl!" Koh exclaimed weakly.  
  
Cherrl leapt from the chair and hugged onto Koh protectively, burying her head in his   
uninjured shoulder, causing him to wince nonetheless. In return, Koh hesitantly wrapped   
his arms around Cherrl's back.  
  
"I was scared...so scared that I would never see you again...scared that you would never   
wake up." Cherrl's words were muffled by Koh's clothing.  
  
Koh stared up at the ceiling. His heart was racing in his chest. "You were watching   
over me...?"  
  
"Yes..." Cherrl said quietly.  
  
Koh smiled. "Thank you...Cherrl." Koh brought his hand up from her back and began to stroke   
her hair softly, with great care. She had soft hair. He could feel the skin of her neck at   
the end of the strokes. It felt soft and fragile. He contemplated on his feelings as he   
numbly registered the physical feeling.  
  
Cherrl was enjoying the feeling of Koh's hand going through her hair ever so gently. She   
could faintly hear his heartbeat from his shoulder. It was beating fast, as she knew her's   
was. She wondered if he his heart was racing for the same reason her's was.  
  
Koh knew that his attitude was sometimes inconsiderate, even if it was indirectly. He knew   
that Cherrl couldn't know how he really felt unless he told her. She had told him in a less   
direct way, but he had done almost nothing at all. He knew that if he didn't tell her now,   
he would never get up the courage to tell her again. Koh swallowed audibly before he began.   
  
"Cherrl...?"  
  
Cherrl raised her head from Koh's shoulder and turned to face him. She noticed that his voice   
sounded odd, it seemed shaky and unsure.   
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I, uh...I..." Koh turned his eyes off to the side. He thought his heart would burst with   
the tension. He couldn't back out now, he was so close. If he never told her, he would   
always regret it, wondering what would have happened. Koh looked up into Cherrl's emerald   
green eyes. Looking into those gentle shining green orbs, he felt like he was looking into   
her very soul. And her soul was the most wonderful thing he had ever known. Suddenly, he had   
no more doubt. He had to tell her. He had to have her by his side.   
  
"...I love you..."  
  
Cherrl's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes widened as she felt them fill with joyful tears. He   
loved her. Just as she had loved him all this time. Her doubts washed away in that moment as   
she smiled through her tears.   
  
"I love you too..."  
  
Koh smiled up at her. His head rose from off of the bed as Cherrl's head lowered towards his.   
Their lips brushed, and a moment later, their lips met in a shy, gentle kiss. They closed their   
eyes to take in the moment.  
  
Koh knew in that moment that he had made the right decision. There could be no other for him.   
They were inseparable.  
  
Cherrl felt herself become complete. She belonged with him. There could be no other for her.   
They were inseparable.  
  
A moment later, they broke the kiss. They stared into one another's eyes for long moments until   
Koh wrapped his arms around Cherrl's back and brought her down on the bed with him.  
  
They lay there together in a gentle embrace. Koh smiled. He knew things would be better from   
here on. Cherrl was truly his 'Azure dream'.  
  
Cherrl smiled against Koh's chest. She would finally be with him. She remembered what she said   
to him about her 'sky colored dream'. The sky's color is Azure. Azure had always been a color   
of hope for her. When she was sick, it was the color outside of her window. After that, it was   
her motivation for a better future. Now, she saw her true hope. She was embracing her hope. He   
was truly her 'Azure dream'. 


End file.
